Welding penetration tips...

[moronthethrottle]

I'll throw in a couple things here as well. Miller has a lot of helpful tips and tools on their website such as this welding calculator.

Another little known tip that I recently learned at a company sponsored welding inspection class is to pull your weld when trying to gain penetration. This seemed wrong to me at first, but after dialing in and trying it the difference was considerable.[

I don't recall reading it in this thread, so I'll also add not to downhill weld critical structural members. Flat is the best way to go, but if that cannot be done, as is common with most of us welding up a frame without a rotisserie attachment, uphill is the only acceptable alternative. Here's a good video for that as well. vertical-up weld It looks easy, but it will require lots of practice before getting this type of weld to be done correctly and look halfway acceptable.

 

[cantwell.colton]

I'll throw in a couple things here as well. Miller has a lot of helpful tips and tools on their website such as this welding calculator.

Another little known tip that I recently learned at a company sponsored welding inspection class is to pull your weld when trying to gain penetration. This seemed wrong to me at first, but after dialing in and trying it the difference was considerable.[

I don't recall reading it in this thread, so I'll also add not to downhill weld critical structural members. Flat is the best way to go, but if that cannot be done, as is common with most of us welding up a frame without a rotisserie attachment, uphill is the only acceptable alternative. Here's a good video for that as well. vertical-up weld It looks easy, but it will require lots of practice before getting this type of weld to be done correctly and look halfway acceptable.

really glad you chimed in - those are pretty important points that i didnt even think about putting in there - vertical welds are significantly more
difficult than horizontal and flat welds to get down ..

the best advice i can give is just practice as much as possible.. and if its an option take a basic welding course in the evening at a local community college -- or find someone that know what theyre doing to tell you what youre doing right and what youre doing wrong... find a local and humble yourself enough to ask if its alright if you watch and ask questions etc... i know around here theres a lot of welders who would be more than happy to have some free help so long as you get along with one another.

 

[ANNAMEL]

Been doing some reading and some really good tips here. All HVY DUTY welds we do at the shop are done with Outershield 045 with 75-25 gas. There outershield is a non maleable(?) wire and hard wire is maleable. When you tack with outershield there is no flex once cooled so it best be in place the first time. Outershield is tons easier to run uphill then hardwire. Just a lil info.

 

[goose-em]

If there is slag you drag

Flux core wire is meant to be dragged, not pushed

Hard wire is meant to be pushed

There is also a difference in polarity.

Dragging does increase penetration. However, keep in mind that amperage (wire feed speed in MIG welding) controls penetration, voltage controls bead profile (higher voltage = wide flat bead, lower voltage = tall humpy bead)

115 machines were not meant to weld thick material as they cannot draw enough amperage to do so.

When a machine is rated for 1/4 inch it does not mean that you will get 1/4 inch penetration. It simply means that the maximum amperage of the machine wil allow you to weld on 1/4" material.

Beveling and welding thicker material will not allow the 115 machine to weld more than 1/4 inch as the current density is just not high enough.

Preheating the material can help.

 

[cantwell.colton]

on the other side of all of that again, is the stick -- with a 220ish stick welder you can cover up to 1/4in maybe 3/8 - would want more at around 1/2 in but its hard to see the application for a metal that thick on this forum just saying -- may want to think about that new welder

 

[Rat'l Trap]

Thanks for the insight from you vets. Before I bought my mig I did read quite a bit of stuff about what to get for diff. kinds of welding and why. What I took from it was to get as much as you could afford, preferably a 220 unit, because it was more versatile than the 110 unit. I ended up with a Lincoln 180. I also picked up a gas bottle with 75/25 because it sounded like the majority of people didnt love flux core wire. I began with sheet metal just making lines, getting a feel for the process. Then I edge-joined the sheets (butt welds) with .025 (whatever came with the mig) and I was surprised how strong those joints were. Then I upped the power and wire speed and made a pretty nice "L" out of 1/8" 1x1 angle iron, which I ground clean before I started. I hit it from both sides of the joint not knowing it was supposed to be done from just one side. The weld looked pretty darn good for a rookie if I do say so myself. I showed it to a guy who does weld for a critique. He put it in his vise and hit it 5 times with a hammer and it didnt move. He was surprised how nice the weld looked, but then laughed a bit when I told him I did it from both sides. I guess what that may mean is that the weld might not have penetrated enough from the front? Anyway, I appreciate your help and will reread your tips to help me learn. Thanks--

 

[Screamin' Metal]

You don't get good at welding unless you weld. The more rods you burn, the more spools of wire run....the better you get at it. There alot of theory behind this trade. Theres a few of us that came up thru the ranks being taught by a old timer in a apprenticeship program. Then there are the ones that went to school, then had a master hold our hands till we got competent.

Ha!....I've been bonding metal together since 1975, when I got out of trade school, went to work for my teachers brother who I had a 3 year apprenticeship with, then I went to the Lincoln school. Its hot in the summer and cold in the winter....if you like to be comfortable, its not the profession for you.

A good friend of mine is a Placement officer with a big co. up in Tulsa. I talked to him last week, he wanted to know if I new any welders that needed jobs. He said if he had 50 welders this week come in.....he could place them all. Next week the same. I asked him what was going on.....he said its a field where poeple are in it a little while then they get out.... He also told me that the average age of welders was 52 years old.

But there are a select few that welding comes naturally to...I just happen to be one of them. For anyone wanting to learn....the best thing you can do is read about it, talk to folks that do it all the time and weld, weld, weld!!!! Thats the only way to get good at it....

I'm that age.....and theres not enough folks coming on up thru the ranks to fill our shoes. All the kids now adays wanna play with the computers.....

 

[cantwell.colton]

You don't get good at welding unless you weld. The more rods you burn, the more spools of wire run....the better you get at it. There alot of theory behind this trade. Theres a few of us that came up thru the ranks being taught by a old timer in a apprenticeship program. Then there are the ones that went to school, then had a master hold our hands till we got competent.

Ha!....I've been bonding metal together since 1975, when I got out of trade school, went to work for my teachers brother who I had a 3 year apprenticeship with, then I went to the Lincoln school. Its hot in the summer and cold in the winter....if you like to be comfortable, its not the profession for you.

A good friend of mine is a Placement officer with a big co. up in Tulsa. I talked to him last week, he wanted to know if I new any welders that needed jobs. He said if he had 50 welders this week come in.....he could place them all. Next week the same. I asked him what was going on.....he said its a field where poeple are in it a little while then they get out.... He also told me that the average age of welders was 52 years old.

But there are a select few that welding comes naturally to...I just happen to be one of them. For anyone wanting to learn....the best thing you can do is read about it, talk to folks that do it all the time and weld, weld, weld!!!! Thats the only way to get good at it....

I'm that age.....and theres not enough folks coming on up thru the ranks to fill our shoes. All the kids now adays wanna play with the computers.....

i love my job
and everything said above is true.

 

[jughead]

welding

most "kids" under 30 that i know dont want to get their hands dirty to make a living. this old man has reached an age that he needs more and more help to do the things he used to do. cant pay them just to help if they have to get their hands dirty. ps. will find out the next few weeks if my years of self taught welding is any good. just v ed and butt welded 2 1 in. thick arms on a large track-hoe. been 3 days in some very large rock and looking good.

 

[oldmanb]

I know this is an old post, but about the 0.25-0.35 wire controversy. The smaller the wire dia. the less heat it uses,the more it will penatrate. I've used 0.25 on light unibodies for years,no problems ,but wouldn't use it on a full frame of thicker material.

 

[k/mar]

welding tips

a good site ive found for tips and tricks http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/

 

[h2owell]

welding

most all rod builders have an engine hoist that makes a good mobile shop crane. I am using mine to roll the frame I am building to keep from having to weld vertically. Very handy.[[cl

 

[ProFabActon]

Rule # 1 on 110VAC mig welders - Shortest (or no) extension cord made out of the Largest wire you can get into the plug ends. Voltage drop is not your friend.